Spiritual Combat

[Music] it is a privilege to be here with all of you on God's holy Sabbath day I do bring you greetings from around 400 of your brethren in the UK and in Europe well you may have heard the saying before the thin edge of the wedge now I had never heard that saying before five years ago when we moved over to England and I had to kind of think about it a little bit and say what does that mean and what came to mind was whenever we were in Wisconsin pastoring congregations up in Wisconsin and Minnesota and southern Ontario it's cold in Wisconsin in the wintertime maybe some of you know that we chopped a lot of wood a lot of wood and we did that as a family we had some big oak trees on the land and and they were dead and asked the landlord if we could go ahead and cut those down and we got permission and I cut down two massive oak trees and one of the members there was kind enough to let me borrow a 32-ton log splitter and we would cut these trees up into large sections and roll him over to the log splitter and we would set them in there and this hydraulic pump would come against that log and all the action really happened where the wedge was located you have this wedge and there's this thin edge and no matter how big the log it could take it could take pretty big logs and that wedge would set right up against that log and as soon as you put pressure into it pop the log would come apart and you could just do that over and over and we stacked up like I said a lot of but I recognize how how much happens at that thin edge of the wedge negativity in the form of discouragement is like this wedge and it's a device of Satan that he uses against us discouragement opens the way for really all of Satan's other devices turn with me to second Corinthians second Corinthians second Corinthians chapter 2 second Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 11 breaking into the thought here but Paul writes lest Satan should take advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices Paul says that we should not be ignorant of Satan's devices and will consider some of those a little later on but first let's go back to numbers the Book of Numbers 11th chapter numbers chapter 11 and beginning in verse 1 numbers chapter 11 and verse 1 now when the people complained it displeased the eternal for the eternal heard it god hears everything and his anger was aroused so the fire of the eternal burned among them and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp I think that's of note the outskirts of the camp and we project that forward to the modern day Church of God this New Testament church of God and it says something about where we should be in the camp we need to be in the center of what God is doing and there are ways we do that there are ways we do that we can talk about those as we move forward verse 2 then the people cried out to Moses and when Moses prayed we know that Moses was a type of of Christ and that just as Christ is our intercessor in heaven sitting at the Father's right hand so Moses was making intercession and he did on numerous occasions for the children of Israel Moses prayed to the eternal and the fire was quenched and so he called the name of the place taubira or burning because the fire of the eternal had burned among them and now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving they lusted the coveted and so the children of israel also wept again and said who will give us meat to eat we remember the fish which we ate freely that's interesting they had been in bondage we romanticize the past and we romanticize the future somehow the present doesn't take on that same attribute so often the cucumber's the melons the leeks the onions and the garlic but now our whole being is dried up there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes there's nothing but this incredible miracle that happens every day they really needed to be appreciative of what God was doing verse 10 verse 10 and then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families everyone at the door of his tent the anger of the eternal was greatly aroused and Moses also was displeased in verses 11 through 15 or known as Moses's lament verse 11 so Moses said to the eternal why have you afflicted your servant and why have I not found favor in your sight that you have laid the burden of all these people on me on me did I conceive all these people did I beget them that you should say to me carry them in your bosom as a guardian carries a nursing child to the land which you swore to their fathers where am I to get me to give to all these people for they weep all over me saying give us meat that we made I am NOT able to bear all these people alone because the burden is too heavy for me if you treat me like this please kill me here and now if I have found favor in your sight and do not let me see my wretchedness Moses was needless to say discouraged discouraged what was God's response no stay tuned we'll come back to that but let's go forward now to the New Testament let's go to first John first John you know the people were craving they had intense craving they were lusting they were coveting and it was displeasing to God at first John chapter 2 and verse 16 for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world and the world is passing away and the lust of it that he who does the will of God abides forever the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life just thinking we're gonna just continue on your life does have an end if we don't do what God asks us to do to do his will to please him this tells us there's a battle to fight brethren these things shown here are not of God you know but they can affect us just as they affected ancient Israel and we are wandering in a modern-day wilderness and we're heading into dangerous and momentous times as a church we're living we're striving to do God's work at the end of this age to truly be pleasing to him how can we as God's people combat Satan's devices those devices that were not to be ignorant of how can we be victorious in the spiritual battles we face and will face in the future if you'd like a title for the sermon it is spiritual combat spiritual combat in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 [Music] 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 and in verse 3 for though we walk in the flesh we do not war according to the flesh and we know we don't go and take part in military service we don't engage in warfare and physical sense and verse four for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds that could mean vain imaginations certainly the vain imaginations of others and at times maybe even our own casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled and we don't take vengeance vengeance is mine says the eternal and so we're not warring against other people when we were made perfect when we're made perfect then we'll be able to judge rightly then we'll be able to know the hearts of men like Jesus Christ did he had that perception he knew when the Pharisees were thinking certain thoughts and he would no doubt get their attention by saying the very thoughts of their heart out loud our warfare is not carnal it's not physical battles that were fighting it's all spiritual it's all spiritual in first Timothy first Timothy chapter one and in verse eighteen this is the Apostle Paul and he's strengthening the young evangelist Timothy he says this charge I commit to you son Timothy and he was a son in the faith in that way according to the prophecies previously made concerning you that by them you may wage the good warfare having faith and a good conscience having faith and a good conscience you're clear you're blameless in that way you're pleasing God you're doing his will which some having rejected they went against their conscience they went against the faith that was once delivered for all concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck of whom are hymenaeus and Alexander Alexander the coppersmith Who am I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme the Apostle Paul mentioned six individuals by name who had done great harm to the church to him some have suffered shipwreck because they began losing spiritual battles one loss led to another and led to another and so on you remember that thin edge of the wedge once that once Satan has that thin edge of the wedge he's got an end and that can open you up to all the other devices the book by Viktor Frankl man's search for meaning was published in German in 1946 and in English in 1959 it discusses how mankind can find meaning and purpose for their life no matter what circumstances they may face Viktor Frankl survived Auschwitz but lost in only a matter of minutes his father his mother his brother and his wife in the camps only he and one sister survived and it's a powerful book with a powerful message of survival survival under extreme pressure duress and intolerable conditions in the book he discusses the last of human freedoms which he describes as the ability to choose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances I'm reminded of a member in the UK who has suffered the loss of her mother her brother her son and her husband her husband has suffered from a severe and debilitating stroke he's still living he's still in care at this time but all this happened all this came upon her within the span of about a year to a year and a half it's been very difficult very difficult for her very difficult for her family you know there's an attitude of faith and courage that frankly I don't know that I would have presently at this time to muster would all those things come upon me it's a wonderful example of an attitude of faith and courage in extreme circumstances she's been fighting battles she's been fighting a lot of battles now most of us have not and may never have to face these kinds of extreme circumstances but there are times when it seems like the walls of our lives are closing in and we can feel trapped we can feel alone remember Moses do I have to bear these people alone these are the times we have to fight the good fight not let down not give up what that means when other people are involved in the circumstances that we let God fight our battles for us we do not wrestle against flesh and blood we don't take vengeance and revenge and all these kinds of things into our own hands we don't try to hurt others we're called to love we're called to show outgoing concern we're called to forgive we're called to edify and build up and encourage one another let's go back what was God's response to Moses despair and his desperate cry for help in numbers numbers 11 numbers chapter 11 and verse 16 Numbers chapter 11 and verse 16 so the eternal said to Moses straighten up get tract together change your attitude no it was this gathered to me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them bring them to the tabernacle of meeting that they may stand there with you then I will come down and talk with you there I will take of the spirit that is upon you and put the same upon them and they shall bear the burden of the people with you you're not alone you need help and help is coming that you may not bear it yourself alone the lesson brethren is God always provides we may not know how God's going to provide but he will God will always provide because he's kind because He loves us He loves us in 1st Samuel 17 and verse 47 I'll just tell you it says the battle is the Eternals that was the time when David was coming up against the giant Goliath that was David's attitude the battle is the Eternals we don't have to fight her own battle they say ho I hadn't thought about that well then the weight lifts and we just look and say I wonder what God's gonna do in this situation in Deuteronomy Deuteronomy chapter 1 Deuteronomy chapter 1 this is Moses giving instruction he's kind of rehearsing what happened in the past they're getting ready to go into the Promised Land and he was giving them the the rundown of the historical historically significant events of their past in Deuteronomy chapter 1 verse 20 and I said to you you have come to the mountains of the amorite switch the eternal your God is giving us look the eternal your God has set the land before you go up and possess it as the eternal God of your father's has spoken to you do not fear or be discouraged why make that that comment why make that comment well because that fear that discouragement that allowing the negativity in is the thin edge of the wedge you know that's what the difficulty was whenever that happened in in the past every one of you came near to me and said let us send men before us let them search out the land for us and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up and of the cities into which we shall come verse 23 the plan pleased me well this sounds good go out spy out the land so I took 12 of your men one man from each tribe in verse 26 let's skip down a little bit in verse 26 nevertheless you would not go up they came back they gave that that bad report you would not go up but rebelled against the command of the eternal your God and you complained in your tents you complained in your tents sometimes we can complain openly and everyone kind of hears it and says well that that's that's a complaint but sometimes we can complain behind closed doors and we can think nobody's going to hear this nobody's going to know and yet God hears it God hears our complaints and it said because the eternal hates us now that is an accusation made against God that is completely baseless they were not judging with righteous judgment they were not in an attitude to recognize God's love the God's provision all through that time he has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the amorite s' to destroy us is that why God brings the trials upon us is that his purpose why things come against us to destroy us well not the God that I serve not the God that I know not the God that you know and serve we face these challenges so that we can get better so that we can grow in character and so that we can learn to please him and do his will even more verse 28 where can we go up our brethren have discouraged our hearts it was the very thing that was to be avoided and when they came back with that bad report there was discouragement in the camp saying the people are greater and taller than we the cities are great and fortified up to heaven moreover we have seen the sons of the aunt Hakeem they are there and so those are the Giants years later David faced a giant and he said the Battle of the Eternals so what if the attitude would have been here that same attitude the battle as the Eternals it doesn't you know when you look at chapter 1 and verse 2 it says it's 11 days journey from Horeb by way of mounts a year to Kadesh Barnea eleven-day journey began became a 40-year wandering is our attitude important it sure is verse 29 then I said to you do not be terrified or afraid of them the eternal your God who goes before you had God spied out the land before the spies got there did he know what was there yes he'd already been there he will fight for you according to all he did for you in Egypt before your eyes rather than God will fight for us you and I must allow God to fight our battles for us we must rely wholly on his power his might and his loving concern for each of us he will fight our battles if we're seeking to please him and do his will I mentioned earlier about the devices of Satan those ones that were not to be ignorant of the ones that are allowed in if that edge of the wedge gets a an opening in us on the LCG dot o-r-g website in the study topic no your adversary it was written by dr. Douglas Wu nail and he states the following quote Satan may be clever and deceptive but God has given us warnings instructions examples and a special weapon for combating Satan's devices jesus warned repeatedly about being deceived Paul informs us that Satan will even use ministers professing to be Christians to deceive people both James and Peter stressed the importance of being able to recognize and resists Satan's deceptive schemes when we sense our attitude becoming fearful doubtful accusative angry resentful jealous lustful we need to be alert to the source of those thoughts and begin directing our minds in a different direction if we get carried away by some new doctrinal idea or prophetic speculation or our own theological idea we are ripe for Satan's deceptive activities if we nurture feelings of unjust treatment or if we become resentful of godly constituted authority in the family and the church or in society we will be vulnerable to Satan's attacks if we become overly focused on our feelings and ourselves we could be on dangerous ground we must remain alert to the battle that goes on in our minds end of quote Moses became overly concerned with the self you can read that I me and my he felt alone it was his feeling but dr. Whannell mentions a special weapon that special weapon God's Holy Spirit it's a weapon we have against the devices that the Apostle Paul says we're not to be ignorant of and those devices that dr. Whannell provides here in second Timothy 2nd Timothy chapter 3 2nd Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16 all Scripture is given by inspiration of God that is the up Neuse tous it is divinely breathed or it can mean divinely breathed in God certainly breeze these words but when we read them and we have God's Spirit we also breathe those divine words in and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be complete or mature or to bring every thought under subjection to Christ to that obedience and that's how we grow in conversion to be mature to become complete and we all want that thoroughly equipped for every good work arming ourselves with God's Word is vital it is the sword of the Spirit the only offensive weapon that is spoken about in Ephesians chapter 6 the armor of God I hope we're asking for God's Spirit each day if you ask for God's Spirit he will give it we know from acts 5:32 that God gives his spirit to those who obey Him and if we ask we will receive and we don't have to just do it in the morning we can ask for God's Spirit all day long in every challenge that we face throughout the day and we can involve him in the decisions that we're making knowing the truth and living by it that's how the war will be won some are going to be taken captive by the devil we saw that with Paul talking about hymenaeus and Alexander but if they repent if they come to their senses then they can escape and God will provide a way of escape we know that from 1st Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13 well I'd like to provide in the time that we have remaining five combat keys five combat keys we can include these in our battle plan going forward and if we remember them if we apply these points we can face the inevitable challenge challenges that will come our way we can engage in effective spiritual combat because you and I are in a war we need to never forget that we have to remain vigilant we have to be ready we know we have an adversary that does not sleep we are in a battle for our minds as dr. Whannell mentioned in his study topic and we know we are spiritual warriors the first combat key the first combat key turn your focus to God turn your focus to God and if something may happen that discourages us and our attention is drawn away from God's Spirit and power now maybe you face trials and you know you want to face a trial with courage you want to face it with the things that you've been reading and studying and yet somehow we're human and we get discouraged instead we begin to think maybe we're all alone and maybe God's not really concerned about us all that much in the UK in the United Kingdom in the past two years we've been going through a bit of a trial with an inquiry and these things happen we recognize they do but when the process came to a point where it was somewhat at a fever pitch we even had a face-to-face meeting with three representatives of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and certainly an adversarial approach on the other side of the table you know through that I'd like to say that I approached it with the best attitude right from the beginning you know I think God teaches us lessons through these things and God did bring out in all of that to all of us who were involved the trust and the reliance and the confidence in the power of God and that it is Christ who is leading his church and we were going through that trial it was difficult to see how it would come to a resolution there were all kinds of what-ifs maybe you've done that your life but what if this happens and what if that happens it just seemed to loom over what we were doing with no horizon in sight and you know God does promise he he says I'll provide a way of escape but you know sometimes you can't see that escape and so then what does God provide more faith more faith in the trial more faith in the trial so that you look to God even more for me and I think for others it was a tremendous lesson to learn the valuable lesson we need more faith I remember dr. Meredith saying on numerous occasions will you join me in this crusade of faith really focus on faith the rock-solid confidence in God that it's all going to work out and yes we do we're all in that crusade of faith and when we face and I will say this that when we stepped off the plane to come to Charlotte I had the email in my inbox that said the inquiry has been closed with no action in previous tax filings no penalties everything's done all resolved we have to let God fight our battles individually but also as a church and we have to trust that he can do it when we face trials we should focus on the lessons that we need to learn we need to turn our focus to God and what he is doing not on the trial itself our trials are not the only thing to bring suffering upon us but our resistance to trials can also do that our resistance to the trials that we face can bring unnecessary suffering you know we have to recognize that the trials that we have have God's stamp of approval they've gone across his executive desk and he has given his divine approval I don't know if that's actually how it happens you know so to speak I don't think he has a big stamp yeah that one's good for so-and-so you know Satan can't attack us without God setting the boundaries we know that from the book of Job God is helping us to develop character he always does what's in our best interest so we have to trust him we need to focus on his plan for our lives we know Romans chapter 8 and verse 28 that all things work together for good to those who are the call who love God who are the called according to his purpose it's all going to work together in proverbs 24 verse 16 tells us for a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again but the wicked shall fall by calamity they just lose battle after battle after battle because they're not learning the lessons mankind is writing the lessons in suffering but they'll learn them later we're going through trials and tests and we're going through them but we're actually learning from them we're building the character that God wants to see in us we know the old saying sometimes we we might remind ourselves of it from time to time let go and let God let go and let God there's an acronym that is kind of easy to remember and it says a lot I think I read it in a book years ago but eg Oh ego we all have I think an ego at least how the psychologists define it ego we're either edging God out or we're exalting God only edging God out or exalting God only and it really comes down to the attitude that we have can God help you through the trials you're facing whatever trials those maybe sometimes health trials sometimes people problems sometimes work problems other things we don't want to dwell on the negative thing we don't want to dwell on the thing that's discouraging us we have to replace those negative thoughts with positive thoughts to be able to have peace and peace is a supernatural element of health the peace of God which surpasses all understanding how can we go through the things we go through and still have those around us maybe our family members or family you know in the church or even outside the church or those in the community how can they maybe know what we're going through and still we're smiling we recognize God's in charge God is in charge we have to turn our focus to God and also be diligent to turn our focus away from things that we shouldn't be focusing on and psalm 119 psalm 119 and verse 34 psalm 119 verse 34 give me understanding and I shall keep your law indeed I shall observe it with my whole heart and that's what the study of God's Word does it makes us complete it makes us mature it fills in the gaps and we may have gaps in our maturity I I don't I don't think any of us are insulated from that make me walk in the path of your Commandments for I delight in it incline my heart to your testimonies and not to covetousness what was the problem of ancient Israel they were craving intense craving lusting and covetousness and it was stealing away their trust in God and they were so consumed with that they couldn't see the miracle that God was providing in the manna turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things and revive me in your way establish your word to your servant who is devoted to fearing you is that where our heart is a lot is said about what we set our affections on it what we set our affections on I've heard it said before that intellectual passion drives out sensuality we know the wisdom you know demonic wisdom is sensual if we have our mind on God's Word we have our mind on things that really matter if we're learning and growing the Grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ then we will continue to push away those wrong things the lusts of this world the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh and the pride of life turn away my reproach which I dread for your judgments are good behold I long for your precepts revive me in your righteousness revive me in your righteousness and so we need to work toward turning our eyes away from things that do not profit us spiritually I don't think it's helpful to go through and give a whole laundry list of what those things might be God is educating us God is converting us God is teaching our conscience to discern both good and evil and sometimes if we neglect our conscience we'll continue to entertain ourselves with worthless things and so we have to be sensitive and we have to have that still small voice that says I don't think I should be watching this I don't think I should be listening this I don't think I should be entertaining myself with that that's not going to please God in Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 25 see that you do not refuse him who speaks how does God speak to us well I've met with a lot of people interested in the church and I think God speaks directly to them and I have to encourage them that this is God's mind this is God's revelation and this is how he is conveying his thoughts and his will to us at this time for if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven so we need to turn our focus to God that's the first combat key I'm talking about but in doing so here we're told if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven whose voice then shook the earth but now he has promised saying yet once more I shake not only earth but also heaven now this yet once more indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken the things that have to be taken out of our lives the things that aren't going to remain in eternity as of things that are made that the things which cannot be shaken may remain God is developing his holy righteous character in us but we have to turn to him in times of trial and battles that we face so that that character can be developed verse 28 therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken the kingdom of God let us have grace by which we may serve God except ibly with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire we don't want to turn away from God but we want to make sure that we remove those things that can be shaken so that those things that can't be shaken will remain the character that God desires to develop in us and we have to do it with him we cannot develop it on our own apart from him we have to know God he has to know us and we have to work with him through the process in James chapter 4 and verse 7 therefore submit to God resist the devil that's the battle when we're tempted we have to resist the devil and he will flee from you he's powerless whenever we exert free moral agency to not go down that road draw near to God and He will draw near to you cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded lament and mourn and weep and let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom humble yourselves we do that with fasting in the sight of the lord and he will lift you up he will lift you up we have this important activity ultimately the actions the routine that we have every day of drawing near to God so we need to turn our focus to God that's the first key we need to turn our focus to God the second key keep your eyes on the goal keep your eyes on the goal we can get discouraged and our eyes are directed elsewhere we can begin to have tunnel vision instead of funnel vision you know they talked about that in England in driving you're supposed to take in all the roads so that you see all the hazards you have Road awareness and they say if you get into template driving you know well I know this is my way to work and they just drive like that's when accidents happen you have to stay alert you have to have that funnel to bring in all of the possible hazards I like all the you know people that might step out from behind a vehicle that's parked on the side of the road bicycles that may be in the bicycle lane in England we have motorcycles and they can go on either side at any time because they the only rule with motorcycles is basically keep the flow of traffic moving you have to have a heightened sense of awareness in the military Special Forces they talk about situational awareness you walk into the room you say okay there are three guys at the back there's the exit there's another exit back there you know that's what they're trained to do a heightened sense of awareness we need that spiritually but we can't have that without God's Spirit that's the weapon we need in our mind helping us to see the hazards a wise man foresees evil and hides himself that's ongoing that's not just when evils around no that's all the time it's vigilance against evil we have to keep our eyes on the goal Colossians 3:2 tells us set your mind on things above not on things on the earth and we're physical we're human we don't have those new spiritual bodies yet and so we look to the around and the physical seems very real and yet it is so temporary we have to keep our eyes on the goal we turn our focus to God then we get our minds on the goal your spiritual life is much more important than the physical and so when we prioritize our lives we put the spiritual first that's why you wake up in the morning and make those first things first when I was in business years ago we talked about keeping the main thing the main thing if the main thing doesn't stay the main thing we're getting sidetracked and we're not going to arrive where we think we are the trials and tests that we face from day to day can be a source of discouragement especially when they go on for a long period of time or our intense or they're especially painful we have to keep our eyes on the big picture on becoming a king and a priest in the kingdom of God that's our training that's what these trials are all about that's what matters we get there no more tears no more sorrows no more doubt no more discouragement no more anxiety no more adversary trying to throw obstacles in front of us to get us to swerve out of the way that's what he does he wants us to swerve Matthew 6:33 seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you and so we need to keep our eyes on the goal we turn our focus to God and we get our minds on the goal the big picture the third combat key the third combat key be positive be positive we live in a world where there's so much happening so much in the world today we see vehicles being used as as destructive weapons we see terrorism all around the world there's all kinds of political and national divisions strife racial divisions Nach natural disasters hurricanes this year the forest fires burning a hundred and twenty-two thousand acres burning up in California recently wars and rumors of war and the news of late the Iran Saudi Arabia proxy war they call it a cold war but it's intensifying it's intensifying they don't believe that they will go to war but it's making that area again extremely volatile even while Isis the Islamic state is now somewhat a virtual State they've lost their land but will that be the end of them it's still a powder keg we see tensions between America North America North North Korea intensifying so much more now in the news we see how you know Moses told ancient Israel no this that surely your sins will find you out and now you have all these celebrities in Hollywood and sure enough with a statement to the the press phone call whatever it might be it's coming out that there's been all this abuse in the past these things are hard to hear but this is the world we live in just recently a telegraph on the 8th of November of this year the headline Germany must legally recognize third gender from birth top court rules current regulations on civil status are discriminatory against intersex people that's individuals who are showing signs of having both male and female biology legislators must by the end of 2018 pass a new regulation to offer a third gender option in birth registers and it was just back in June of this year when Germany legalized homosexual marriage and all these things are going to some at some point make a response we've got to stop this slide toward these kinds of things the list goes on but that's the world we're living in and in the midst of all these societal and global conditions and we need to be strive to be in an attitude and spirit of positivity of thankfulness again ancient Israel they had the mana they had miracles they had wonderful things happening they had incredible deliverance from God and yet they said they just kept looking back saying those were the good old days and we can't look back we have to go forward and do you pray each day do you pray on your knees each day and we need to be thanking God for who and what he is we need to thank him for his mercy for his love for His grace for his patience for the way that he lovingly shows us things that we individually need to change at least he does that for me I think he does that for you I don't think my experience is unique in some way God has shown me things that I need to change and he does it in a way that you know I just wouldn't probably do it that way if I were in his shoes which I'm absolutely not we just want to say well this is what you need to do do it change but God leads us through he's so patient with us he leads us through a process to where he helps us to see where we can change and I think that in at least in the ministry I think that's a more effective way to do things they're not to just tell people but help them arrive at things that hopefully they come to see they need to change in Psalm 92 Psalm 92 and verse 1 now this particular Psalm it says a psalm a song for the Sabbath day says it is good to give thanks to the eternal and to sing praises to your name o Most High it is good to give thanks to God how much of our prayers dedicated on giving thanks that's how we can cultivate an attitude that is positive it's a vital part of that a vital part of that even in the midst of trial and test if you go back to Romans Romans chapter 8 even in the midst of all of that the Apostle Paul helps us put things into perspective Romans chapter 8 and verse 14 we're told or sorry verse 18 for I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God absolutely the suffering is not worthy to be compared with the glory it's hard to remember when we're in the midst of difficult times but we have to turn our focus to God we have to get our mind back on the goal we have to remain positive mr. Ames's mentioned a number of sermons his technique of telling himself maintain a positive and tranquil mind I I'm from Missouri the show-me state and I had to put that to test and it does work maintain a positive and tranquil mind there's something about that positive self-talk where you just okay I could just tell myself keep calm and carry on but I think maintaining a positive you know a tranquil mind is a little bit more effective my favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me I like it because it says all things I don't see any exceptions exclusions nothing is left out of the discussion all things if our relationship with God is nurtured if it's healthy if it's active we can do all things the fourth combat key the fourth combat key do good to others do good to others this is redirecting from the trial that we're presently into these struggles that others may be facing back to Hebrews Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 24 and let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works that's the mind of Christ Christ said it's more blessed to give than to receive we need to take our minds off the trials and the tests that we face individually and then focus on serving and helping others and then God will make sure that everything else works out he'll take care of us he'll provide back in Matthew the 25th chapter Matthew Matthew 25 and in verse 31 when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him then he will sit on the throne of his glory at Christ's return all nations all the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats and he will set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on the left then the king will say to those on his right hand come you blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world and how what what prompts him saying that he continues verse 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food I was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and you took me in and so this approach of doing for Christ is what prompted that but in verse 38 it says when did you when did we see you a stranger and take you in or naked and clothe you or when do we see you sick or in prison and come to you and the king will answer and say to them assuredly I say to you in as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren you did it to me you did it to me when we serve one another we are serving Christ that's how Christ looks at it that's how he views it and ultimately that's what you know we're storing up treasure in heaven in that way that he's looking at those things and he he takes note that is Christ living his life in you you allow him to do those works through you and there will be a positive outcome when we do that that's how we can fight these battles does Satan like us to help one another does Satan like us to be positive does he like us to forgive and these kinds of things no he doesn't he's against those things in Hebrews chapter 13 Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 1 let brotherly love continue how important is brotherly love at the end of the age we know we're living in the latest an era we know that the love of many will wax cold and yet we need to have that Philadelphian spirit and attitude of brotherly love and care and concern for others do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels remember the prisoners as if chained with them I think about that in terms of individuals who may have physical disabilities or even some widows who don't have a closed congregation the the living room where they said all day can feel like a prison they can feel alone they can feel discouraged and what does it mean to them to have the phone ring what does it mean to them to have someone come by and sit with them for just a little bit and talk about the past usually talk about the positive things that happen in their life how God intervened and I think when you walk away from something like that you're edified by it you're strengthened by it and so it's good for both remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled but fornicators and adulterers God will judge well we were talking earlier about covetousness lust intense craving all these kinds of things we have to put all that away this world is passing away in the lust of it let your conduct be without covetousness be content with such things as you have for he himself has said I will never leave you nor forsake you so we may boldly say the Lord is my helper I will not fear what can man do to me we don't want to get fearful about other people God fights our battles we don't have to be afraid we have courage we have faith remember those who rule or lead those who rule over you who have spoken the word of God to you whose faith follow certainly right from mr. Armstrong to dr. Meredith and now to mr. Weston we follow those that God has placed in that role considering the outcome of their conduct and there has been good fruit Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever that's right Christ is leading his church Christ is the head of his church and we can follow him with confidence fifth battle key we need to do good to others but the fifth battle key is be patient be patient and maybe we have the attitude at times I don't have time to be patient we need more patience don't we Luke 21 19 tells us by your patience possess your souls you know if you're acting on impulse you're giving your life away if you want to put it that way we act on impulse we don't take a patient approach a wise approach it's not gonna work out well we end up actually chasing behind ourselves try to fix things just be patient think things through be wise about how you're conducting your daily activities Satan wants to make us impulsive he wants to get us discontent with what we have or how things are going he did that in ancient Israel yeah this man is terrible and if you eat it for 40 years you started thinking you were never in bondage that's what he does he gets that discouragement in there and then all these other things flow from it it's been said that patience with others is love patience with self is hope and patience with God is faith we know that those are the three big ones Faith Hope and love and the greatest disease is love back in Psalm 31 Psalm 31 if we find ourselves in difficult times go to the Psalms go to the Psalms just start reading three or four of them a day you just can't imagine the cumulative effect that that has on your frame of mind there is strong encouragement and comfort in the songs Psalm 31 and verse 22 for I said in my haste I am cut off from before your eyes see this is David saying I said in my haste don't be hasty don't be impulsive I said in my haste I'm cut off from before your eyes this despair that Moses found himself in may be at times we find ourselves in that nevertheless you heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to you interesting that God hears the complaints even in the tense of ancient Israel but he also hears the supplications when we cry out to him God hears it's one of his names the God who hears nevertheless you heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to you O love the eternal all you his Saints for the eternal preserves the faithful and fully repays the proud person be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all you who hope in the eternal be of good courage have hope in God be patient we know from Hebrews chapter 12 that God does at times correct us as a loving father some haven't had fathers that corrected them in the right way providing an explanation and making the the punishment in that way fit the crime sometimes it's been extreme it's hard for people that have been through that kind of situation to accept correction they just lock up they don't want to be corrected we have to be able to accept correction and that indeed is it says a lot about our character we need to make sure that we're humble we humble ourselves through fasting and in that fasting I've found that when I come out of a fast I feel more patient it's like the winds kind of wind down and I'm able to see the road a little bit clearer I'm able to then define what the battles are and recognize the response that God wants to see from me in that battle to gain the victory some may feel like giving up at times you know Moses certainly did you know Jobs attitude was though he slay me yet will I trust him now we know job still had lessons to learn his trust was not complete and Satan can plant doubts about our conversion about our worth about our probability for salvation he is the great discourage err you know you haven't failed unless you have just quit trying and we will at times fail but we're not failures we're going to win in the end we're going to gain the inevitable victory as dr. Meredith like to quote Winston Churchill he did that time and again in his sermons because it's encouraging he wanted to strengthen all of us to continue with faith and courage especially in these end times so brethren let's do our part to combat Satan's influence the pressures from the society all around us as we also have human nature that still remains a challenge for us daily let's remember these five combat keys to turn our focus to God to keep our eyes on the goal to be positive to do good to others and to be patient patient with others having loved with a with ourselves having hope and with God exhibiting that faith that is so precious to him you and I have been called to spiritual combat and we must fight the good fight of faith we heard that in the special music today and we've talked about it in the sermon we need to be careful with the thin edge of the wedge the discouragement the negativity that opens the door to all of Satan's other devices with Christ living in us we can overcome we can conquer we can ready ourselves we can have that heightened sense of awareness as we go forward to be able to face the trials the challenges that we're going to inevitably face and if we do that then we will have an awesome reality an awesome reality an opportunity in the future to live and work with God forever and ever [Music] you

Channel: Living Church of God

Views: 8,963

Rating: 4.9263802 out of 5

Keywords: christian, spiritual, satan, battles

Id: KJKae_8rhW0

Length: 78min 48sec (4728 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 02 2018